Fabric take-up for knitting machines



Nov. 9, 1943. R, c. SOUTHWORTH 2,333,897

FABRIC TAKE-UP FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Oct. 25, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG].

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JPam EyCMZ/TAMH/ .By @01 7 Nov. 9, 1943. R, c. sou'rHwoRTH 2,333,897

. FABRIC TAKE-UP FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Oct. 25, 1941 s Sheets-Shet 3 FIG. 2. L l U1] 7 I T" g l 2 8 /5 /0 o W T A? L 0 68 i ,l 77 00000 I 5 .0, :0, 0 9 g t 6 9 g \l Hi X VVEAITOR: zfomlzyfimwamg Nov. 9, 1943.

Filed Oct. 23, 1941 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 FIG. 3.

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Nov- 9, 19 R. c. SOUTHWORTH FABRIC TAKE-UP FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed Oct. 23, 1941 5 SheetsSheet 4 H W A777 Nov. 9, 1943.

R. c. SOUTHW ORTH FABRIC TAKE-UP FOR KNITTING MACHINES 5 She' ets-Sheet 5 Filed 001:. 23, 1941 3 [Mm/r012: Rmwyifwwgzmm Patented Nov. 9, 1943 2,333,897 FABRIC TAKE-UP FOR KNITTING MACHINES Rodney G; Southworth, Providence, R. 1., assignor to Hemphill Company, Central Falls, R. L, a corporation of Massachusetts 7 Application October 23, 1941, SerialNo. 416,138

, V 11 Claims. This application involves an invention in fab- ,ric take-ups such as are used in knitting machines, especially in circular hosiery knitting Inachines. I,

In the figures of thedrawings:

Fig. l is an elevation showing part of a knitting machine to which the invention has been ap- Fig. 2 is a similar elevation but illustrating the side of the machine; Fig. ,3 is a section through the take-up showing parts thereof in operative relationship;

Fig.4 isa section taken on line 44 of Fig. 3;

, Fig. 5 is a section through the lower part of the needle cylinder and driving gears, the take-up being connected to one of the driving gears;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the take-up with a fab- I ric guiding plate in position;

, I Fig. '7 is a similar view with the said fabric guiding plate removed; v

Fig. 8 is a section showing in detail one of the driving ratchets and ratchet wheels for a fabric engaging roller; 7

Fig. 9 is a detail showing a double pawl and ratchet wheeldrive for the take-up rollers; and Fig. 10 is a detail of the fabric engaging rollers,

, ratchet Wheels for driving them and stop pawls.

In circular type hosiery machines such as the well-known Banner knitting machine, it is customary to use a fabric take-up in certain instances, one example of such use being that of drawing the fabric from the needles when knitting string work, This is especially desirable when-knittingstring workin which elastic top stockings arebeing made, the said machine then being fully automatic in its operation.

Sometimes such String vwork'is knitted without the commonly employed breaking or separating courses between individual knitted articles, but rather drawing the fabric through and connecting the later to, be separated stockings by wrap threads extending from the last point in which such threads might be-knitted in;one article to the first point in which'the are incorporated in the" next. That is.;commonly practiced atthis time and so long asa sufficient number', of wrap threads aroused so that they have ,Jthe necessary strength for maintaining the connection, there is no'need for knitting breaking or separating courses, it, being well-known that these are costlyfrom the point of view of material and furthermorasince theyv cut down the 7 production of the machine. 4

When drawingjthe string work from themachine by the interconnection of wrap threads only, "a very delicate but nevertheless positive of one knitted stocking, thenengageandpull by i I means of the interconnecting wrap threads only whereupon the next encountered fabric of a following knitted article will be an elastic top and it may, as above stated, bunch up and tend .to resist entry between the take-up or fabricengaging rollers. For satisfactory operation with this method of knitting the positively .driven .rollers must be so mounted and pressed against the fabric as to separate to a relatively great extent for theentry of the bunched-up fabric and yet must be positively and synchronously driven. These and other characteristics of the invention will be developed as the same is @escrib ed by reference to one particular embodiment of the same as. applied to a hosiery knitting machine and as illustrated in this case. i 1 I I I Now referring to the figures of the drawings and especially Figs. 1 and 2, enoughof the hosiery knitting machine has been shown so as properly to associate the parts of the take-up." A frame I has attached at its'upper. edge a base 2 within whichis rotatably mounted a n'eedlecyl- A main-cam shaft 5 would carry the usualcam drums, only one of whichlis illustrated in' this case sinceit is necessary to employ only'one' row of camsfor control of the 'take up action-. With reference to Fig.5, the cylinder 3 isatt'ached to rotate with a bevel gear 6 which, is mounted for proper working bearing within the base land a cap or plate 1. In wrap stripe knitting machines drive for the wrap spindle is taken from a ring gear 8 which isalsoattached'to rotate with the gear 6. g v I -l?referably the take-up is mounted directly beneath the cylinder and attached to rotate with thecylinder, gear 6 and also gear 8, in the event the machine is a wraplstripe knitting machine of the Banner type. The take-up ismore or less self-contained withinor upon a framehaving a lower tubular part 9 which flares out for-is cast m sses mteaar-imeessar a i are threaded through the main cylinder supporting and driving gear '6. As'shown in' Fig.- 2,-the tubular part 9 is cut away-just beneath the flared or rectangular upper part of the ta'ke up frame or casing. That allows access to the parts a'nd.

makes assembly and manufacture simpler. Y

, Now referring to Figs. 3, 6"an'd 7, two-spindles IG-and I! are mounted at the .upperpart of the V jrame, thesespindles being flattened as at I8,

"therej being one slt'rttih sca e: the parallel sides .1 r2 and I a. "at has "and erf jacn p ne1e acellar "iri axe by niatiwofafsetscrew Qtdhdby these" collars, "axial movement "or the spindles 1s "and IT- is limited. 1 Eachofthe collars" is'roun'ded have intheir smtsaand to assume different andate diller'ent' vsiiiesfand w'eights of fabric} passing greatness universally {movable 'in a single plane. lhetlegre'eto which they may separate is, such that any fabricfof a type knitted-inhosens sa sessin asss a qve isemss a may.

bsf rswn'iat the rollers without especial 'dif- I inane: a'fcan ase areeentssn ieeatedsmd "24 also adj'usta 1f 'ble hate Resu ts,

the ends of the spindles Hand H together.

"breach 89111313. v

tr sse -npti caon exertea 'w-meirmirs ss that threads; 'or prevent easy separation jbfth said it No r r in t 3 a 19 mi fi i 3 "nd fl'aremounted ierrota- 34 which has ratchet teeth 35 cut at its projecting end. This bushing is a presslfit in'the' roller and is also held by solder so that when the said bushing'is ratcheted by mechanism hereinafter be rotated. The ratchet wheel 36 is similar to the other wheel having tee J5 and drivesroller 3|. in 'similarmannei'. The teeth bhthe wheels are inclined in opposite directions so that the m wheels will likewise be driven in opposite directions for advancing the fabric between them.

' At'the'dri'vl'ng end of the rollers there are employed cembinedcollar and pawl holders 31 and '58. These qollars "are in some respects similar 15 to collars flfl-inrtheopposite ends of the spindles and are set screwed to the ends of spindles l6 and f'i"'a":sshown-with respect to spindle I'I, Figslllfi 0n the" extensions or projections from these collar are 'carriedpawls 3p and pressed by means t of springs-wasn't: admire teeth (an therat'chet parts downwardlfwehr "wheels a'ria'ertneraters au'anb il ima'reve'me direction. Details or one of these collarsgthe pawl and sprin g, 'i 'well"asthemivot 'foltndfiawl,

ndwrere'rrmg to msss," gains-"a; ce ium are ratcheted by means 0! two pawls ll shim,

=r aw1 we teiiigip'ressedmy sprite Amend pain 44 1 being pressed by spring 46 im hmgefhnt 'with teemof meir-respesaw-ramwnees; mm. 9

as minefgrodve brerersent ww'providsm ind- Fig. 3 and a spring 5? connects adjacent tlle ilp- "per en sr sam slide'ahd alsowa sawdust the 'ldwr eiid cr hmissragwishdany'tndmsen 'pull the slide' asa sahstim Smelly" I new ip m' flbi'ic and ir tne rabri wues mtbmmnrmmes =a gm me was maed. i a

- as; the mitea reiieie ise m m. ms

Meanderleum l somers-to smyse. i "-e'mpioyed m tt "roller'is hbt upbn.

to be described, the attached roller will likewise a 111c r side t6: the. s

"ts. filfiesebea'rin'as are pi-ereralul 'bifoillss type ahd"thus do n'ot'ne'ed lubrication Ur -attention exceptafteria ldng iperiod'ot usage.

mm venihohs'nmmuimeirmdo ratcheting of the 1 1.628 ifabri'c willustillbe macho: the rollers has insrtedm one ehdwhich will be called the driving end a sleeve or bushing fess I jw'ihe n I which rotates on bushings carried by screw it.

This roller is adapted to be engaged by acam 56, Figs. 1 and 2, said cam-56 being movable vertically to vary the movement imparted to the pawls and also for the purpose of rendering the take-up active or inactive at desired times. The pawl are guided within a slot in a guide plate 51, Figs. 3 and 5. r r

Now referring to Figs. 1 and 2 the widening pick bracket has been somewhat-modified so as to extend downwardly as at 58, and in addition to carrying the widening pick lever 59, provides a grooved guide element 60 within which a cam carrying slide 61 is vertically movable. Plates 62 and 63 enclose the groove and confine element 6| so that the same is movable in a vertical direction only. I

The lever 84 is pivoted to a bracket or support 55 at the pivot point 66 and engages a pin 61 at the lower end of the camcarrying slide BI. A

spring 68 normally tends to move the lever 64 in such a direction that the cam 56 will move to a lowermost position in which it would not engage roll 54 and would have no effect at all on the ratcheting mechanism for turning the fabric engaging rollers. r a

A second lever 69 pivoted at 10 to a bracket extending from the frame has a cam engaging toe II which is, at different times in the knitting of a stocking, controlled by cams 12, I3 and 14 on a cam drum on the main cam shaft 5, Figs. 1 and 2. At the outer end this lever 69 connects by means of a link I6 to the outer end of the first mentioned lever 64. Adjustment is provided by a locking nut 11 so that proper positioning of cam 58 may be controlled. When the toe of the lever 69 is raised by any one of the cams on the drum, the outer end of lever 64 is pulled down thereby raising cam 56 so that it will engage roll 54 and render the take-up active. At other times, the said cam will be maintained in lowermost position as the toe of the lever rests upon the drum l5 and the take-up will not operate. It is, of course, desirable to discontinue the take-up action during reciprocatory knitting as in knitting the heel and toe. 7 It is also ofadvantage to discontinue take-up action when knitting an elastic top, that is, especially when the fabric is being drawn down bythewrap threads only. At that time there is a tendency to pull wrap threads from the source of supply. Normally the take-up rolls tend to draw the fabric much faster than it is being knitted and thus considerable wrap yarn may be pulled from the supply, that being somet -ing which should be avoided.

' The cam 72 raises the cam 56 to a position for working the take-up during knitting in the leg. When knitting the heel the take-up is inactive whereupon at the foot, cam 13 again effects cam 58 so as to start the take-up. During knitting the toe take-up action is discontinued but again at the loopers rounds cam 14 acts to accomplish the same purpose as do corresponding cams I2 and 13. Between the end of cam 14 and the start of cam 12, the elastic top, or at least part of the elastic top, is being knitted. Of course, this operation may be varied if desired and the take-up might operate during knitting the elastic top especially if the string work were to be connected by a breaking thread or connecting means other than the wrap threads.

At the top of the take-up casing a sheet metal guiding element 18 is attached about a spacing ring [9 and has an opening therein just sufficient to allow the fabric to pass down between the rollers and 3|, see Fig. 6. This opening is also of a type to prevent the fabric running out upon or even toward the ends of the rollers, in other words, keeps the fabric in toward the center so and 8|. These plates are riveted to bars 82 and 83 which are in turn connected bybolts to the tubular framework or to the slide holder 49. These sheet metal plates and BI arefiaredioutwardly at the top so as to catch any fabricor wrap threads coming through the rollers and confine or guide it toward the center.

'The invention has been described by reference to one particular embodiment of the same as applied to a hosiery knitting machine, but it is to be understood that it is not limited to that field only but may be used in other knitting machines and for taking up fabric of any type. One particular method of operation has been described in which a spring is tensioned as the roller 54 movesup- One type of pawl and ratchet mechanism has been disclosed, but it is to be understood that variations are permissible and that the said elements may take any one of many different specific forms all as contemplated in the original concept. The take-up may be positioned at aw-lower elevation in the machine and may be provided with a so-called can or other receptacle in which the fabric may be gathered as it is drawn through the take-up. The invention is defined in the appended claims.

I claim: Y

1. A'fabric take-up for knitting machines having fabric engaging rollers each of which is independently and synchronously driven, spindles upon which said rollers rotate and on which they may move in parallel or angular relationship to and from each other together or independently throughout an extentsufiicient to separate said rollers entirely.

2. A fabric take-up for knitting machines including in combination a casing, a pair of fabric engaging rollers, means for driving each of the rollers independently and synchronously, spindles on which said rollers are to be driven each of which is movable in a plane so that thesaid rollers may be separated'whollyout of engagement or may be moved independently throughout an appreciable angular extent without disturbing the synchronous driving of each roller.

3. A fabric take-up for knitting machines including in combination a casing, a pair of fabric engaging rollers, spindles, one for each roller and upon which it may rotate, slots in the casing within which said spindles are guided and along which their ends may slide so that the said rollers are movable independently or together through an appreciable extent, driving means for said rollers including a pawl and ratchet wheel for each of the rollers, the construction being such that the rollers may be moved wholly out of engagement with each other without affecting the synchronous driving of each roller.

4. A fabric take-up having in combination a casing, a pair of fabric engaging rollers, spindles on which said rollers rotate, slots in the casing in which the ends of said spindles may move uniwensa-lly :a :single plane throughout --such extent that the 1 ialn'ic rollers-may be r separated wholiyiout-of engagement-with eaeh other,a

:pawl and as. ratchet wlsieel onemble :Ior-zdrivtng each miler and a commnnsliderto which said spawls -ueepivoted and by means-f 'whichthey are m :ioeugivenv aratcheting rmovernent, spring 'meanszfor moving said-slider onerdiremionrand cam-Imeansionpositively moving it in the: 099

:site direction.

5.; Aiabr-iewleewn-torknittingmachirieehavins dn-yeombmtion 'a 8S1n 8, "f&b1fi(: iengag-ing roiiersnsplndlesomwhieh said rollersamay'rotate,

slotsimthe casingwand witl'iin-which theends of the spindles are movable universally throughout a iimitediextentwin a single ,=-plane, epringwmeans :for drawing the-ends eread-spindles together, a watchet wheelim eaehrroller and by -means =of whidh "Iaidiroller-may fbetdriven; a slider zmovable a'n the 1 dmdwa P1 --of+oppositelydirected mails pivoted to raaid-elider,-:oneengageable with math of the said ratchet wheels springmeens ior maintaining enga ement between each parwl and itsr ratdhet @wheel, mnstmction being such "thlt the rollers and the spindles which they rotute may be :maved independently or -together ameo? slots in masochism mnmmamthems otspindles: ll'ejm unive ally t maz mu 1 a limitedmtent alainglemne apring umans dor dmwing thevends ot eeidsspindlos tomther, :a :ratchet i wheeleon @each-vnoiler and vhy of whichsaid-rollennzaa bemommnane'mouable on said casing and having pivotodrtlnretomawls mne of which ia-QMW mith each \aizeaid ratchet 'wheelsl wring 'mm 401- fimamtainmg ifl'u'oughciutsa limited extentat least suflieientrso that the rollers maybe-entrrely separated1mm engagement with -.eaeh other-without-aafleeting the isymhronous driving thereof 7 6.118 mm take-up.for knittingrmachines havmgr-in combination "a casing, h-fab r-ic engaging :roilers; snindleson which: saidrollersmay rotate, :alots in ::the casingzandwithin-which theiends of the spindlesvare 'held againstrotation but are hee-tozelide to: and from eaohother throughout a limited" extent, spring 1 means-for drawing the ends of said spindles together, a=ratchet wheel at one end of each roller and by means otwhich said roller may be driven, means moiiahle end r8: pair: of oppositelymdirected: pawls'," one :engageable with each '01- the said; ratchet wheels, :umeans for-maintainingeach-ofsaid pawls in: en-

':;gagement with its" respective ratchet wheeltand i-providingior that engagement in anyiof the, posii tions=sto which said-roller and ratchet wheel -may F be moved as .the said spindles slidein theirv slots,

' '7. A fabric take-up for knittingrmachineshaving a fluted fabric engaging rollers each:- of which is synchronously driven; spindles on .whieh :said rollers rsrotate, means for maintaining said uspindles :in alignment --in :a single ;-n1ane, but allowing limited movement-oi either end of said spindles' toiand from-the other eo-thatsaid rollers may--senarate andwassume different positions a other a through :an extent: such thattthe flutes of "said rollers may :be entirely disengaged.

' 8. raki'abrictake-up for knitting :machineshaving'f in oombinatione a casing, fabric' engaging roilersmpindleson which-saidrollers may rotate,

:10 thatr enslnt withgeaehnot the weld ratchetwheele irrespective!!! memeait-ion otioneiorahoth of; the-said relianta andram.mw1 ioneach m "the" ratchet wheels tq mvent reverse. movement of-:either'roller. a i I 9;- Afaibtic take-tmfoh grnaehineslhpying in combination a easing, fabrie -rollers,i spindles;on whiohdaid aollemnpymotate :andfguidinganeanadmathewaidwindles providing 'movement of wither-t er moth :rdlleta to; and :fromzthe etherveither ipamllel-aelationship ofrthe rollers onallewingthem Mime angular relationshipflmawhnutiamredetemnned and-limited extent at leastzspoh-ithat .the rollers :may-become separated tonallew s-a rsuhsttnflal space between them, driving means mcludinga pawl Jana ratchet iopt eaehrmllersandlmeam for simultaneously; movingwaehael' s the mawls to engageiaztooth-i'on-its. natehet wheel and for maintainingi idrmls anrensesementmith their-iratchet-wheelsrno matter what theposition of said rollers may beonmeiwheraby said rollers -may-moveto and-.i'mm heme entirely separated 'awithnut disturbing the mmspindles on which .-;aaid-nollers [are $0 .driven v each of which: is :m ov abie inn M planemso .thahth -chronousydriviag tlaeneof. u

' 10.:A?mmm ukemikmumg.magamasmeluding in oombinatiommeasing a painoffluted .fabric iem' aingmllersflmems. iorndriving-eaeh -.ofi;the- :rollers independentlymndaynehmnoualy; v

:1 said nrollers maybeaepageted by; moving either --.0r:both ofhthern vanaibellyi-oninauehia maimer .uthat i-theirraxesvarelmulflriy disposed, "and 7' throughoutxsaehqanqextentthattheflutea otthe I said;-ro1lersbeeome entig1y :11. @A fabric itakeeup 5101 having muted Jaime .1 rollers 1 each 0t Y :which iseyncnronouslsnrivamspmm wnicn '55 eithert barallelor'angularly--with respect;v to each aonmidteou'mwoam; 

